Bubble producing toy



Nov. 14, 1961 J. ELLMAN BUBBLE PRODUCING TOY Filed Feb. 24, 1959 JUL /U5 HLMAN Arromwsrr United States Patent BUBBLE PRODUCING TOY Julius Ellman, 1672 E. 7th St., Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Julius Ellman, Brooklyn, and George Lerner, Freeport, N;Y.

Filed Feb. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 794,976 8 Claims. (Cl. 46-7) This invention relates to toys and, more particularly, to a novel device for producing bubbles.

While various types of bubble-producing devices have been incorporated in toys and amusement devices for children, such have often been associated with stationary or hand carried devices. It is an object of the present invention to provide a toy embodying a bubble-producing device in which the toy itself is propelled so as to enable the bubbles to be discharged in a continuous stream.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bubble-producing toy having propulsion means which simultaneously effects animation of the toy and energization of the bubble-producing apparatus in response to the passage of air relative thereto caused by such movement of the device.

Still a further object of the present inventionis to provide atoy of the type described in the form of 'a model aeroplane having a propeller that is driven by the movemerit of the aeroplane in the air, such propeller being drivingly connected to'the bubble producing apparatus for producing acontinuous jet stream of bubbles simulating the air stream of an authentic aeroplane in flight.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an animated toy and combined bubble producing device of particular construction which accumulates a quantity of produced bubbles, carries them along with the unit during movement thereof, and release such bubbles singly to provide a continuous stream' of individual bubbles which form a continuous pattern.

-All of the foregoing and still further objects and ad-vantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the 'acco'mpanying drawing, wherein;

' FIG. l'is a perspective view of a bubble-producing toy made in accordance withithe present invention in operative use.. j I V FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the to shown in FIGZ'l in a stationary position. FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the toy shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a frontelevational view of the toy shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary'front elevational view, with parts broken away, of certain parts of the toy illustratediin FIG. 6 is aside elevational view ofthe parts illustrated inFIG.5. ,7 I

FIG. 7 is a topplah view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view, with parts broken away, of the bubble-producing mechanism forming a part of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 to 4 thereof, a bubble-producing toy 10 made in accordance with the present invention is shown to be in the form of a model aircraft having a fuselage 12, a tail section 13, a wing 15, and landing gear 17. A flexible cable 16, which may be twine, string, or wire, is secured to one end of the wing so as to enable the aircraft to be rotated by a child in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1.

The bubble-producing apparatus is in the form of a nose section which forms an integral part of the aircraft and rotatably supports the propeller thereof in a manner ice hereinafter more fully described. This nose section 20 defines a bubble-producing liquid storage receptacle of substantially segmental hemispherical shape having a central longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the aircraft. A pair of angularly related vertical and horizontal compartment walls 23, 24 extend across the segmental cutout of the receptacle substantially closing the interior thereof together with a flat back wall 22 that is of similar segmental circular shape.

Bearing elements 26 rotatably support a shaft 27 concentric with the central longitudinal axis of symmetry of the nose section 20. A propeller 28 having a pair of diametrically. opposite blades is secured to one forward end of the shaft 27, while a bubble ring set 33 having a pair of diametrically opposite annular rings that define film producing apertures is secured to the opposite rear end of the shaft 27. As is more clearly shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawing, each of the vertical and horizontal compartment walls 23, 24 is provided with communicating' slots 30, 31' that lie Within the plane of rotation of the bubble ring set 33 so as to accommodate the rotation of the annular rings therethrough, whereby each such annular ring is momentarily exposed'within the segmental cutout during each rotation of the shaft 27.

The interior of the receptacle formed by the nose section 20 is filled with a bubble-producing liquid 37 through a slightly enlarged filler opening 36 communicating with the slot 31in the horizontal compartment'wall 24. As a result, each ring of the bubble ring set 33 will receive a film of this bubble-producing liquid as the shaft is rotated by the rotation of the propeller 28 as the toy is rotated through the air in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. As the film carried by each ring is exposed to the air stream during such flight, a bubble is formed. However, because of the particular relationship between the propeller blades and the ring set, and the shape of the nose section 20, such formed bubbles are not immediately discharged into the air, but accumulate behind the flat rear wall 22 of the nose section and seemingly form a conical cluster 40 with the apex thereof facing'rearwardly with respect to the path of movement of the aircraft. The bubbles disposed at the rear apex end of this conical cluster 40 are thus appa'r ently released in a singular manner as additional bubbles are formed by the bubble ring-set and are accumulated at the-base end of the conical cluster. The result is that a substantially continuous path of apparently'single bub bles 42 trail behind the toy as it is propelled through the air so as to simulate the jet stream of an authentic aircraft.

Certain interesting features and results will nowbecome apparent with further reference to FIGS. 5 through 8 of the drawing. Because of the novel shape and construction of the nose section 20, with the segmentalcut-out portionthereof facing radially inwardly toward the center of rotation of thetoy, centrifugal force created by the circular movement of the toy will not spill the bubble producing liquid 37 therefrom since such will move outwardly and upwardly into the substantially semi hemispherical outside section of the nose 20 (FIGS. 4 and 5). Similarly, when the toy is placed upon the ground or tilted sidewise, which enables the toy to be picked up by the string, preparatory to flying without spilling liquid and without messing up the child, such liquid will be substantially confined within the similarly shaped side half section of the nose member 20.

It has been found that the most favorable results heretofore explained are attained when the longitudinal axis of the bubble ring set lags approximately forty-five degrees behind the longitudinal axis of the propeller 28 with respect to the direction of rotation of these elements during .the forward flight of the toy. When the bubble ring set is in phase with the propeller, the propeller tends to a I 7 block the flow of air through the bubble rings and thus thereto, the bubble fonnation is not as satisfactory thereis' less of a tendency for the bubbles to accumulate in the aforementioned conical form. While the exact reason-s for the particular bubble formation are not known, it appears that the bulbous surface of the :nose

section 20' defines an aerodynamic high pressure area,

while the hat surface of the rear wall 22 defines a low pressure aerodynamic surface. This pressure differential seemingly tends to maintain the conical shape of the cluster eccen-t-r-ically of the nose section 20, and symmetrioally with respect to the shape of the segmental circular rear'wallZZ.

it has also been found that extremely thin bubble rings produce a minimum amount of churning of the'bubhlc solution and thus reduces the production of the fine foam that rouiy creates amass of small bubbles which are not particularly desirable, and which increases the loss of solution at a very rapid rate, thus making for a very uneconomical device. Accordingly, theiperiphery of the present bubble producing rings define as much'of a knifelike'edge .as possible to minimize foam producing effect. V

While this invention-has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is' to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claims appended hereto. 7 7

mental hemispherical shape having a central longitudinal axis substantially parallel to said direction of movement with the bulbous surface thereof facing forwardly toward said direction of movement; and said bubble ring set being supported within said receptacle for rotation about said central axis, the inside diameter of said receptacle being greater than the length of the diameter vof said bubble ringset, and a segmental cut-oat in said receptacle exposing said bubble ring set during each revolution to air passing parallel to said path of movement. I

, 3. A bubble producing device asset forth in claim 2, further comprising angularly related fiat walls extending across said segmental cut-out substantially closing the interior of said storage receptacle, and.:aligned :slots :in each of said flat walls in the plane of rotation of ,said bubble ring set accommodating said rotation of said bubble ring s'et therethrough.

4. A bubble producing device asset iforth'inclaim 3., wherein saidxdnive means comprises a propeller, a shaft rotatabl-y supported upon said receptacle concentric with said longitudinal axis, said propeller being secured toone forward end of said shaft, andsaid bubble ringset being secured to the opposite endof said shaft, wherebyrotation of said propeller elfects rotation of said bubble ring set.

rotation into and'out of'said receptacle for receiving a film of bubble liquid therefrom, said bubble ring set defining a plurality of spaced vfilm producing apertures and having an axis of rotation extending parallel tosaid direction of movement of said storage receptacle, said bubble ring set lying within :a .plane substantially normal to said predetermined direction of movement of :said receptacle, said storage receptacle having openings only large-enoughfor'freeipassage'therethrough of-said'bubble rings and drivemeans coaxial with but axially spaced 7 apart from said bubble ring set, said drive means :being the exterior of said treceptacle and releasing them singly in a continuous stream therefrom in response to said movement of said receptacle, g

-8. Asbubble producing device ,asl-s'etforth in claim 7,, wherein said accumulating meansQcomprises ,a substantially flat rear wall facing rearwardlywith respect to said directionof movement, said bulbous surface of said receptacle defining a highpressure aerodynamic surface area and the area behind said :flatrrear wall defining a low pressure area creating a conical formation of trailing bubbles having a rearwardlydirectedapex, said bubbles being-retained in such formation by a differential pressure -and the-bubbles forming vsaidraipex continuously being released by the continued build-up of the baseof the conical formation in response .to the formation 'of additional bubbles during said movement of said receptacle. 7

References Cited in the'file of this patent UNITED LSTATESPATENTS 2,409,471 B'rosseit .Oct..'15, 194.6 2,587,535 Scott, Feb,26, .1952 2,8055 15' *Ganset a1. .a Sept. 10,;1957 2,862,320 7 Mayo Dec.12,1'l958 

